Apparatus for conditioning air



May 12, 1931. c. F. SHADLE APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR Filed Feb. ll. 1929 6 SheetS-Sheet l n mi May 12, 1931. Q F SHADLE 1,804,649

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR Filed Feb. ll, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 m ,54W ATTORNEYS,

May 12, 193i.` c. F. SHADLE APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR Filed Feb. ll, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. v C2 /Nfo/v FJH/9m f,

c. F. SHADLE 1,804,649

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR Filed Feb. ll. 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 12, 1931..

ATTORNEYS May l2, l93`1. Q F SHADLE l 1,804,649

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR Filed Feb, 11 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Wgm.

May 12, l931.\ c. F. SHADLE APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR Filed Feb. 11, 6 sheets-sheet e L@ Il Patented lillay l2, fillll CLINTON F.. SHDLE, OF ENIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T AIR DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK BARAT'US FOR CONDITIONING AIR This invention relates to a process and apparatus used in connection therewith, for conditioning air, and'is particularly adapted for conditioning air used in connection with La pneumatic Frake systems for railway equipment.

rlhe principal object of the invention is to so condition the air as to cool, clean and dry it to a certain degreeby the elimination of a I la substantial quantity of the moisture normally contained therein, and with said moisture eliminate lubricating oil, dust and the like. lin this connection the invention is particularly useful as applied to air brakes for railia way trains in that great difficulty is normally had by the accumulation of Water or moisture in the air brake system, which interferes with f 4 proper action of the triple and other valves and brake mechanism.

One feature of the invention resides in the application of the apparatus and process to train equipment and particularly locomotives wherein the apparatus employed isof simple and compact construction, installed and used on the present type ofglocomotives for accomplishino the desired" purpose. v

Another feature of the invention resides in the process of conditioning air by employing natural cooling mediums, such as cold atmosphere in the winter and the locomotive yfeed water in the summer, whereby such cooling' medium is so manipulated as to be most eiiicient in its cooling action and thereby cause a sufficient precipitation of the moisture from the air being conditioned, together with the lubricating oil and dust which will be carried away thereby.

`Another feature of the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of the apparatus for so manipulating the air to be conditioned passing therethrough, and the cooling medium as to cause the conditioning action as above set forth in the most efficient manner within a minimum of space.

Other features of the invention will be'more fully set forth hereafter', particularly in respect to the arrangementfand construction of the fins, and separators, the drainage system 6e of' the precipitated moisture and the means asy `tor effecting the cooling of the air by readily available means.

llhe full nature of the invention will be more. clearly understood 'from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical illustration of the application and mounting of the device on a locomotive. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section taken through the conditioner. Fig. 3 is a central horizontal section taken therethrough. Fig. i is an enlarged View through a central vertical section showing a portion V of the conditioner as illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view'of a central hori- 65 zontal section showing a portion of that section illustrated in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. li. Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5. Fig.

8 is a section taken on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7. 70

Fig. 9 is a section taken-on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is the same as Fig. 2 showing the application of the feed water cooler system.

ln the drawings there is shown diagrammatically a locomotive 10 having an air reservoir 11, a feed water pump .12, a water cistern 13 in the tender 14:, and an air `conipressor 15. The conditioner as herein shown is suitably located on the side of the locomotive as indicated at 16. For winter use, there is an air pipe 17 leading from the air compressor 15 to the inlet of the conditioner. The outletof the conditioner is connected with the air pipe 18, which leads to the main air reservoir' 11, from which the conditioned air is delivered in the usual manner to the air brake system. When used in the summer time, or in warm climates, the conditioner is connected in the water line 19 leading from the cistern 13 to the feed water pump 12 and becomes a part thereof.

The conditioner comprises an elongated tank 20 which is substantially rectangular kin cross section having an intake head 21 and an outlet head 22 bolted on opposite ends thereof. Mounted Within said tank and eX- tending through the upper and lower walls thereof, there are a pluralit of verticali positioned heat-radiating tu es' 23, whi'c l tubes are formed of metal having a maximum coeiiicient radiation.

Each of said tubes is open to the exterior of the tank and separates the tank into a plurality of closed chambers or passageways 24. The interior of the tank is cooled by a suitable cooling medium such as air, water or any desired refrigerant passed through the tubes 23.

As shown herein in Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, air is used as a refrigerating medium Wherein the season is such as to provide a cold at-y mosphere. As shown in Fig. l0, the cooling medium applied comprises feed water from the cistern of the locomotive which is of a lower degree 'of temperature than the atmosphere, which is applicable to the device in the warmer seasonor in warm regions. For certain purposes, in application of the invention, suitable refrigerating units may be substituted for the air coolingV louvers or the water jackets. The cooling medium is caused t0 pass through the tubes 23.

As herein shown there are a plurality of louvers 25 having an enlarged open flared end 26, which louvers are mounted preferably above the tank and terminate at the rear of the sectional `units thereof, whereby air will be caused to flow therethrough when the locomotive is in motion and cause a. current of such air to pass downwardly through the tubes 23 and bey discharged rearwardly from the lower discharge louvers 27 which have their discharge ends opening rearwardly.

As illustrated in Fig. 10, wherein Water from the compressor l5 under high pressure of about ten atmospheres to the inlet connection 28 in the inlet header 21. The air thereupon engages with a group of separators 29 mounted in the front of the tank as illus.` trated in Figs. 7 and 8. Said separators comprise a plurality of trough-like baiies 30, V-shaped in cross section and mounted vertically in the front end of the tank with the vertex of the V section extending forwardly and having the rearwardly extending edges thereof curved forwardly to provide troughs 31. Said separators are herein shown, as in Fig. 7, mounted in three rows and in staggered relation with respect to each other so that the air passing therethroughv will be separated and entrapped in the troughs 31 which will result in the removal and separation of precipitated moisture.

lubricating oil, dust or any other foreign matter to a degree.

The separated matter will be carried by the separators to the bottom of the tank where it will be washed and drained away by the The air will then pass into that portion of the tank embodying thecooling tubes so that the temperature of the air will be reduced, thereby causing a certain amount of moisture precipitation.

As shown in Fig. 5, there area plurality of lins 32 upon which are formed or mounted a plurality of U-shaped gutters 33, said fins are secured to the sides of the tubes in groups and in staggered relation, and the gutters are so formed in turn as to entrap the air and allow moisture and foreign matter to be deposited thereon soy as to be carried thereby to the bottom of the tank and drained away. On the innerside walls of the tank there are provid/ed a plurality of independently mounted fins 34 which angle inwardly and have their outer edge provided with vertically extending gutters 35 for likewise entrapping the moisture and foreivn matter, thus facilitating its removal from the air. In the bottom of the tank there are provided a plurality of horizontally extending gutters 36 (Fig. 4) which prevent a layer of dead air from lying on the bottom of the tank and again absorbing the precipitated moisture, the air passing over the -lower part of the tank being agitated by the gutters 36, which act to relieve it of moisture and foreign material while at the same time, effecting a reservoir and drainage for the moisture precipitated from the upper stratus of the air.

As shown in Fig. 6, the corners of the gutters 36 are cut away as indicated at 37 on b'oth ends thereof, which permits the drainage to How to the end of the section and be drained therefrom by the drainage pipes 38 communicating with both sides thereof adjacent the bottom and the cut away portions of the gutters.

As shown herein, the tank is divided into three sectionsy or units, all of which are provided with similar interior construction as above described, there being a set of separators 29 positioned intermediate of said units and at the front thereof. Also the drain pipes 38 communicate with the lower portion of each end of said units and on each side thereof so 'as to permit ready drainage and removal of the moisture and foreign matter carried from the air thereby.

The invention claimed is:

1. An air conditioner of the character described including an elongated tank through which air is adapted to pass, a plurality of tubes extendingacross said tank in communi- Cri directing air therethrough and discharging louvers mounted on the opposite side of said tank having anl open discharge end in reversed position to effect a draft for facilitating the drawing of air through said tubes, whereby said tubes will be cooled by the air passing therethrough and be so positioned within said tank as to intercept and cool the air pasing through said tank.

2. An air conditioner of the character described including an elongated tank through which air is adaptedto pass, a plurality of tubes extending across said tank in communication with the exterior thereof, a plurality of zig-zag baiile plates mounted on the sides of said tubes for directing the air in a sinuous path past said tubes, hook shaped baflies mounted on said plates, and means mounted exteriorly of said tank in position to cause a cooling medium to pass through said tubes from one side of the tank to the other, said tubes being so positioned within said tank as to cool the. air passing thercthrough-` l3. Au air conditioner of the character dcscribcd including an elongated tank through which air is adapted to pass, a plurality of tubes extending across said tank in communication with the exterior thereof, zig-zag plates secured in staggered relation to the sides of the tubes, and gutters formed on said plates for intercepting and discharging moisture and foreign elements from the air passing therealong. i i

4. An airconditioner of the character described including an elongated tank through which air is adapted to pass, a plurality of tubes extending across said tank in communication with the exterior thereof, a plurality of zig-zag plates mounted Within said tank on the sides of said tubes, said plates extending in the general direction of flow ypast the tubes,with lateral offsets from one row of tubes to the next, gutters formed on said plates for catching the moisture and foreign matter precipitated from the air directed therealong, and means mounted exteriorly of said tank in position to cause a cooling medium to pass through said tubes from one side of the tank to the other, said tubes being so positioned Within said tank as to cool the air passing therethrough.

5. An air conditioner of the character described including an elongated tank through which air is adapted to pass, a plurality of tubes extending across said tank in communication with the exterior thereof V-shaped baiiie plates extending across the intake end of said tank in staggered relation for intercept-ing and distributing the air passing therethrough, means on said baiiles for catching and discharging any free moisture and foreign elements contained in the air, and means mounted exteriorly of said tank in posit-ion to cause a cooling medium to pass through said tubes from one side of the tank to the other, said tubes being so positioned within said tank as to cool the air passing therethrough.

6. An air conditioner of the character de- I thereof, means for passing a cooling medium through said tubes, a plurality of baile plates for intercept/ing and distributing the air positioned at the forward end of and intermediate said sections, mea-ns on said baflie plates and in the bottom of said sections for receiving and draining precipitated moisture and foreign elements from the air, and discharge conduits connected with each side of said tank intermediate said sections and adjacent said baffle plates.

7. An air conditioner of the character described including an elongated tank embodying a plurality of sections through which air is adapted to pass, a plurality of tubes extending across said tankl in each of said sections and communicating with the exterior thereof, an intake louver for each section of Yao said tank mounted exteriorly thereof, a dsmy signature.

CLINTON F. SHADLE. 

